| Article ID: | iaor2004569 |
| Country: | Netherlands |
| Volume: | 33 |
| Issue: | 12/13 |
| Start Page Number: | 1347 |
| End Page Number: | 1360 |
| Publication Date: | Jun 2001 |
| Journal: | Mathematical and Computer Modelling |
| Authors: | Parmigiani G., Skates S. |
| Keywords: | stochastic processes |
In this paper, we develop a model and a deconvolution technique to estimate the distribution of the age of onset of detectable preclinical cancer, using incidence data and information about cancer growth rate. Our approach considers the effect of age on both the growth rate and competing causes of death. We illustrate our methodology using data on breast cancer, and discuss implications for breast cancer screening.